Electric switch



March 1944- J. w. SAMZELIUS 2,345,007

ELECTRIC SWITCH 7 Filed Aug. 11, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: INV ENTOR March 28, 1944. J. w. SAMZELIUS 2,345,007

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 11, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR March 1944- .1. w. SAMZELIUS 2,345,007

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. '11, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet ZEzsaZ/Pa I Q WITNESSES: INVENTOR W BY Q Q v I TTORN Patented Mar. 28, 1944 ELECTRIC SWITCH John W. Samzelius, Forest Hills, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania,

Application August 11, 1942, Serial No. 454,361

. Claims. (01. 209-168) My invention relates, generally, to electric switches and, more particularly, to switches of the enclosed type commonly known as safety switches.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide an enclosed switch which shall be simple and eificient in operation and which may be economically manufactured and installed.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a unitary switch mounting and operating shaft bearing plate for an enclosed electric switch.

Another object of my invention is to provide for retaining the operating shaft of an enclosed switch in position in the enclosing cabinet.

A further object of my invention is to provide an enclosed electric switch which may be completely assembled on a mounting plate prior to its insertion in the enclosing cabinet.

Still another object of my invention is to provide for temporarily retaining the operating shaft of the switch in position in the mounting plate prior to its insertion in the cabinet.

Other objects of my invention will be explained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In accordance with my invention, the parts of an enclosed switch, including the arc boxes, contact members, fuses, fuse mountings and operating shaft may be assembled on a unitary mounting plate prior to its insertion in the switch cabinet. Bearings for the operating shaft are provided in the mounting plate and a slot for receiving the shaft is disposed in one side of the plate substantially at right angles to a similar slot in one side of the cabinet to facilitate the assembly of the switch and to retain the shaft in position in the cabinet. Provision is made for temporarily retaining the shaft in the slot in the mounting plate during assembly and.test ing operations.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of my invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of an en closed switch embodying my invention, a portion of the enclosing cabinet being broken away for clearness;

- Fig. 2 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the switch and cabinet shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, in section, taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the mounting plate for the switch mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a view, in elevation, of a modification of the switch structure and mounting plate; and

Fig. 6 isa view, in perspective, of the modified form of the mounting plate.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the switch structure shown therein comprises a cabinet l0 having a bottom wall H and side walls I2, l3 and M for enclosing a switch unit IS. The cabinet 10 is also provided with a hinged cover l6, as shown in Fig. 2.

As illustrated the switch unit I5 is a three pole switch and comprises a plurality of arc boxes ll, one for each pole, movable contact members l8 which are disposed to engage stationary contact members contained within the arc boxes 11, but not shown in the drawings, and a shaft IQ for actuating the movable contact members I8. The contact members l8 are of the butt contact type and are resiliently mounted in carriers 2| secured to the shaft l9. An actuating handle 22 may be resiliently connected to the shaft H! by means of a spring 23 for operating the shaft through an operating mechanism which may be of the type described in Patent No. 1,606,801.

The switch unit l5 may be of the type disclosed in the copending application of Lawrence Pierce, Serial No. 454,357, filed August 11, 1942, in which a fuse terminal 24 is mounted on top of each one of the arc boxes l1. Similar fuse terminals 25 are mounted on an insulating base 26 for receiving fuses 21, which may be of the well known cartridge type. Connecting termi nals 28 are also mounted on the base 26 for connecting power conductors to the fuse terminals 25. Similar terminals 29 are provided for con necting power conductors to the switch contact members, thereby completing the power connections to the switch.

In order to insure the proper alignment of the switch members and also to facilitate the assembly and thetesting of the switch parts, a unitary mounting plate 3| is provided which contains be completely assembled on the mounting plate 3| prior to its insertion in the cabinet I 0, thereby greatly facilitating the assembly operation.

As shown in Fig. 3, an open-ended slot 33 is provided in a side member 34 of the mounting plate 3| for receiving the operating shaft IS. A similar slot.35 isprovided in the side wall I3 of the cabinet ID. The slots 33 and 35 are disposed substantial y at right angles to each other, thereby facilitating the assembly of the shaft IS in the cabinet l and also providing bearing surface for the shaft.

During the assembly of theswitch members on the mounting plate, the shaft I3 is inserted in the slot 33 prior to the insertion of the mounting plate in the cabinet. When the plate is inserted in the cabinet, the shaft I9 is dropped into the slot 35 in the side wall of the cabinet. Thus, the sides of the slots 33 and 35 function as bearing surfaces for the shaft l9 and retain the shaft in its proper position in the cabinet so long as the mounting plate 3| is secured in position.

In order. that the fuse base 26 may be mounted at the properelevation to maintain the fuse terminals 25 in al gnment with the fuse terminals 24, a bracket 36 is provided forsupporting the fuse base 26. The bracket 36 may be riveted or welded, or otherwise secured, to the mounting plate 3| and, therefore, maintains the proper relation between the fuse terminals. Furthermore, as explained hereinbefore, all of the switch members. includingthe fuses may be completely assembled on the mounting plate prior to its insertion' in the cabinet. Therefore, the switch may be tested prior to insertion in the cabinet, which facilitates the testing operation as well as the making of any adjustments required.

The provision of the mounting plate 3| and the bracket 36 also facilitates the making of the proper connections to the switch unit, since a space 31 is provided at the end of the bracket 36 for the wires which are connected to the switch terminals. It will be noted that the bracket 36 will protect the wires from the moving parts of the switch after the switch is installed. Furthermore, the bracket 36 provides protection for the moving contacts'while handling the switch unit outside of the cabinet, thereby preventing injury to the switch contacts.

- In order to facilitate the operation of the switch unit for testing purposes prior to its insertion in the cabinet, a means is provided for temporarily retaining the shaft IS in the slot 33 prior to the insertion of the shaft IS in the slot 35. As shown in Fig. 4, part of the slot 33 is considerably wider than the diameter of the shaft I9. Only the inner end 33 of the slot, for a distance approximately twice the diameter of the shaft, is made slightly wider than the shaft diameter. A second slot 39. which extends to about the center of the inner portion 38 of the slot 33. forms a projection 4| in the side member 34 of the mounting plate.

As shown in Fig. 3. the projection 4| may be bent around the shaft I9 by means of a screw driver or other simple tool after the shaftis in place at the bottom 38 of the slot 33. In this manner the shaft will be temporarily retained in its correct operating position. thereby permitting the usual testing operations of the switch mechanism. 7

While it is not intended that the projection 4| will constitute a bearing of suflicient strength to withstandthe service operations of the switch, it is. of sufllcient strength to retain the shaft in position for testing and demonstrating purposes.

As explained hereinbefore, after the switch mechanism is inserted in the cabinet, the side walls of the slot 35 function as bearing members for the shaft and retain it in its proper position. Should it be desired to remove the shaft from the switch unit, the projection 4| may be straightened out to permit the shaft to be removed from the slot In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which like parts are designated by the same reference characters as in Figs. 1 to 4, the fuse terminals 25 are mounted on an insulating base 42 which is mounted directly on the bottom of the mounting plate 3| instead of on the bracket 33, as in the construction described hereinbefore. The plate 3| is also provided with an up-turned side member 43, disposed opposite the side 34 and having a hole 44 for supporting the one .end of the shaft IS. The other end of the shaft is disposed in the slot 33 in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described.

The bracket 36 may be omitted from the present structure since the fuses are not at a sumcient height to require the provision of the elevated bracket member but may be mounted on the base 42 which is in turn mounted directly on the bottom of the mounting plate 3|. As explained hereinbefore, the complete switch mechanism, including the fuses and the operating shaft, may be completely assembled on the mounting plate 3| prior to its insertion in the cabinet. A plurality of holes 45 are provided in the bottom of the mounting plate for the mounting of the switch members.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a switch structure in which all of the switch members, including the shaft and the operating mechanism, may be completely assembled outside the enclosing cabinet where it is more accessible The entire switch unit may belreadily removed from the cabinet to facilitate making the proper wiring connections when the switch is installed in service. The mounting plate provides a reinforcement between the bottom and the side of the cabinet, thereby precluding the necessity for bracing the cabinet sides as is now required in cabinets of the larger sizes. Furthermore, the mounting plate provides a flat and rigid mounting surface for the porcelain arc boxes that will not warp or twist with the cabinet in case it is installed on an uneven mounting surface, thereby'protecting the porcelain against breakage and maintaining alignment of the contact members.

Since many changes may be made in the'above described construction and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all the matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an enclosed switch structure, in combination, a switch cabinet having an open ended slot in one side wall thereof, a pluralityv of separately mounted switch members, a switch operating shaft, and a unitary mounting plate for the switch members, said mounting plate having an open ended slot disposed in one side thereof substantially at right angles to the slot in the cabinet to retain said shaft in position in the V cabinet.

2. In an enclosed switch structure, in combination, a switch cabinet having an open ended slot in one side wall thereof, a plurality-of sep' arately mounted switch members, a switch operating shaft, and a unitary mounting plate for the switch members, said mounting plate being removable from the cabinet and having an open ended slot disposed in one side thereof substantially at right angles to the slot in the cabinet and cooperating therewith in retaining said shaft in postiion in the cabinet.

.3. In an enclosed switch structure, in combination, a switch cabinet having an open ended slot in one side wall thereof, a plurality of separately mounted switch members, a switch operating shaft, and a unitary mounting plate for the switch members, said mounting plate having oppositely disposed side members for supporting said shaft, one of said side members having an open ended slot disposed therein substantially at right angles to the slot in the cabinet for receiving said shaft and retaining it in position in the cabinet.

4. In an enclosed switch structure, in combination, a switch cabinet having an open ended slot in one side wall thereof, a plurality of separately mounted switch members, a switch operating shaft, a unitary mounting plate for the switch members, said mounting plate being removable from the cabinet and having an open ended slot disposed in one side thereof substantially at right angles to the slot in the cabinet and cooperating therewith in retaining said shaft in position in the cabinet, and means on the mounting plate for retaining the shaft in the slot in the mounting plate prior to its insertion into the cabinet.

5. In an enclosed switch structure, in combination, a switch cabinet having an open ended slot in one side wall thereof, a plurality of separately mounted switch members, a switch operating shaft, and a unitary mounting plate for the switch members, said mounting plate being removable from the cabinet and having an open ended slot disposed in one side thereof substantially at right angles to the slot in the cabinet and cooperating therewith in retaining said shaft in position in the cabinet, and means formed integrally with the mounting plate for retaining the shaft in the slot in the mounting plate prior to its insertion into the cabinet.

6. In an enclosed switch structure, in combination, a switch cabinet having an open ended slot in one side wall thereof, a plurality of separately mounted switch members, a switch operating shaft, and a unitary mounting plate for the switch members, said mounting plate :being removable from the cabinet and having an open ended slot disposed in one side thereof substantially at right angles to the slot in the cabinet and cooperating therewith in retaining said shaft in position in the cabinet, and means disposed at one side of the slot in the mounting plate and formed integrally therewith for retaining the shaft in the slot in the mounting plate prior to its insertion into the cabinet.

7. A unitary mounting plate for supporting a plurality of switch members and a switch operating shaft, said plate comprising a base and a side member having an open ended slot therein for receiving the shaft, and deformable means formed integrally with the plate and projecting into said slot for retaining the shaft in the slot.

8. A unitary mounting plate for supporting a plurality of switch members and a switch operating shaft, said plate comprising a base on which the switch members are mounted and a pair of oppositely disposed side members for supporting the shaft, one of said side members having an open ended slot therein for receiving the shaft, and deformable means formed integrally with the plate and projecting into said slot for retaining the shaft in the slot.

9. In an enclosed switch structure in combination, a switch cabinet having an open ended slot in one side wall thereof, a plurality of separately mounted switch members including arc boxes and fuse terminals, a switch operating shaft, a unitary mounting plate for the switch members, said mounting plate having an open ended slot disposed in one side thereof substantially at right angles to the slot in the cabinet to retain said shaft in position in the cabinet, and a bracket secured to the mounting plate and removable therewith from the cabinet for supporting a part of the fuse terminals.

10. In an enclosed switch structure, in combination, a switch cabinet having an open ended slot in one side wall thereof, a plurality of separately mounted switch members including arc boxes having fuse terminals mounted thereon, a switch operating shaft, a removable mounting plate for the switch members and the shaft, said mounting plate having an open ended slot disposed in one side thereof substantially at right angles to the slot in the cabinet to retain said shaft in position in the cabinet, additional fuse terminals, and a bracket secured to the mounting plate and removable therewith from the cabinet for supporting said additional fuse terminals in alignment with the fuse terminals on the arc lboxes.

JOHN W. SAMZELIUS. 

